Student Comments

James Hillyer, MA US Studies 2013-14 and current PhD candidate

Studying for the MA in United States Studies on a
part-time basis at the UCL Institute of the Americas was a challenging,
enjoyable and rewarding experience. Coming straight out of undergraduate study,
I found the step-up to MA level tough, especially because I had to find the
correct balance between studying and working various jobs, but I quickly
managed to find my feet and have no regrets about taking the course. The
modules I took allowed me to deepen my knowledge of the United States and
encouraged me to push myself academically. To my surprise, I developed a
fascination for US economic policy and subsequently wrote my dissertation on
the topic. Moreover, the tutors at the Institute were very approachable and
took an interest in my development. Not only were they keen to encourage
participation in the classroom as well as attendance at the rich programme of
events (where I met and interacted with leading scholars of the United States),
but they also offered me important advice about how I could maximise my
performance, which boosted my grades and gave me the confidence to continue as
a PhD student at the Institute. On the whole, I am very pleased with my
decision to take the US Studies MA, and am delighted with the excellent
facilities and support that I have been provided with for my PhD. I would,
therefore, encourage anyone who is interested in the Americas to study at the
Institute.

Gyumi Ahn, MSc Globalisation and Latin American Development, 2013-14

The experience of
studying at the Institute has been inspiring and stimulating. During the lectures throughout the year, I
have always found myself gaining numerous fresh insights from my classmates who
were from many different parts of the world, with different academic and
professional backgrounds. I was also very impressed by the way the faculty
members encouraged us to articulate our opinions about historical and political
issues dealt with in class, to relate them to current Latin American social phenomena,
and to keep developing our rough and initial ideas into an elaborated statement
and thesis. I appreciated, in particular, opportunities given to us to attend
various seminars and talks, where each speaker presented us their current
projects and shared their expertise and academic interests. Several of them
were where I could begin developing ideas for my dissertation and could be
aware of original and creative methods of doing research. During the last couple of months of the
course, I found it highly fulfilling to carry out my own research visiting libraries
and archives both in Buenos Aires and London. I could finally get my own work
done thanks to the administrative staffs’ constant support and my supervisor’s
valuable comments and feedback.

Himali Dave, MSc Latin American Politcs, 2012-14

As one of the few institutions offering a holistic and
interdisciplinary programme of courses, and with the option of part-time study,
UCL-IA was a clear choice for me for engaging in postgraduate study of the
Americas. But what I soon became aware of was what else the institute offered:
access to diverse events, talks and conferences covering up-to-date research
with top academics; being part of a nurturing and friendly department; and
meeting like-minded people passionate about all things Latin American. I have
found the opportunity to spend two-years studying at my own pace extremely
rewarding; although working and interning alongside my studies has often
amounted to a 7-day a week commitment, the institute staff have always been
extremely helpful and understanding. I feel that I have emerged with
transferable analytical and critical thinking skills, which I am certain will
prove incredibly valuable for me in the future.

Robbie Macrory, PhD student, Latin American Politics

Studying at the Institute has been an extremely fulfilling experience
for several different reasons, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time spent here
working towards my doctorate. Although the Institute is small enough to have a
strong sense of community, it also feels fully incorporated into the wider life
of the university with all the advantages that entails, including events, skills
courses and a lively atmosphere. The knowledge and expertise of the faculty
members at the Institute is always impressive, and the support offered by the
administrative staff has been invaluable in helping me progress with my studies.
Perhaps the best thing of all for me is the Institute’s location in the heart of
London. It’s been a great help for my work to be within walking distance of
several world-class libraries, but I’ve also enjoyed being able to attend events
at think-tanks and embassies, for example, which might not have been so easy had
I been studying elsewhere.

Melanie Stern, MA Latin American Studies, 2012-13

I have found that I can easily see where my hard-earned cash is being
spent - and well spent - as I am surrounded by vast resources, from excellent
libraries and lots of places to use study computers all over campus, to the
breadth of knowledge my tutors share with me, and their encouragement of deep
inquiry. This means the environment I have found as a student at UCL Americas is
so far very conducive to immersing myself in the field, and being able to bounce
ideas off the staff as I develop my own critical theses. In addition, there are
regular talks and events, available to the public as well as students and for
free, giving us contact with fresh thinking, new studies, leading commentators
and new conversations on the field we're studying. This means the knowledge I'm
taking in about the past is being based in the context of what's happening in
real life, today.

John Gallagher, MA Latin American Studies, 2012-13

After completing my undergraduate degree in Dublin, I decided to progress
directly to postgraduate study by undertaking the MA at the Institute of
Americas, UCL. The prospect of living in London was not the only thing that
enticed me. I was also attracted by the multi-disciplinary nature of the course
and the accessibility of the teaching staff, who are always at hand to discuss
research interests and extend learning outside of the classroom. At UCL, I
found a Masters that allowed me to focus on the Latin American History and
Politics, without neglecting more practical fields of study such as Advanced
Spanish Translation. My experience at the Institute of the Americas has been
nothing but positive, I am sure it will stand to me in the future.

For more students describing their experiences studying at the Institute, view our videos